Author's Note: Okay boys and girls, this will wrap up A Crime for Christmas section of my story. It might seem a little stilted how I wrapped things up too quickly, if it does.. I apologize. I tried to wrap it up in anice little bow, but not sure if I succeeded. There's just so much to this story, that it was hard not to retell the entire thing. I've added two additional scenes. They're all entirely figments of my imagination. The what should've been scenes. They're fluff of course. :) Would you really expect anything else? I hope you guys enjoy! Just please be patient as I attemtpt Shock Waves. I think I have one or two installments completed, but that darn Ned is throwing me for a loop! I should start posting that at some point during the weekend - I hope. So let me know what you guys thougtht of my foray into this book, I hope it was worth reading!

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After our little detour at the ice skating rink, the five of us decided to take carriage rides through the park. We lost Bess and Jean-Claude - they had been kidnapped! When Jean-Claude arrived back at the hotel without Bess, we set out to find her. We discovered her in an old abandoned warehouse in a grimy part of town. Jean-Claude saved the day by bull-dozing down a wall of the ancient building to get to her.

It turned out that there had actually been two sets of kidnappers. Jean-Claude had hired the chestnut vendor to kidnap him in order to get away from his over protective cousin. The real kidnappers it turned out had been after Bess and the chocolate crown all along. Jean-Claude was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The chocolate crown that the kidnappers were after, was part of a special delivery of chocolate covered plastique that was to be delivered and detonated at the UN Gala. After breaking into the chocolate boutique, where Joe took an unwanted swim in a hot vat of molten chocolate, we rushed to the Gala to stop the bombing. We snuck in as waiters, and watched as Count Reynaud spoke suspiciously with the DJ. We quickly realized that the Count was behind the bomb plot!

Joe managed to cut the wires of the detonator and we had a tense moment when the Count grabbed Bess and held a gun to her head. Jean-Claude pleaded with his cousin, and the Count then turned the gun on him. Momentarily distracted, the Count was tackled by Frank and the shot he fired went into the ceiling instead of his intended target. I stopped the DJ from escaping and within seconds, police and security had both the DJ and Count Reynaud in custody.

Jean-Claude explained to us that there had been an underground movement in his country that opposed his father's leadership and did not want their country to become members of the United Nations. Apparently, his cousin had been secretly leading the underground group, and wanted to overthrow the government and take control of the country himself.

While we waited to speak to the police, we also inadvertently thwarted the cat burglars. All along we know a young person was involved. We had been concentrating so hard on finding a father-son team, that we missed the obvious – it was actually a father-daughter team. The young red-head that Joe had almost fallen for, Fiona Fox, and her father Dr. Fox, were the thieves!

I noticed them leaving the gala, in a rather inept disguise and called out their names. They hurried out the door, but not before dropping a leather satchel. We didn't catch them, but when we opened the bag, we discovered the precious Sarconne jewels that had been on display upstairs!

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I was packing my suitcase, while Bess was spending her last few minutes in the city with Jean-Claude. As I folded a sweater, I heard a light knocking sound on the door.

I crossed the room and peered through the peephole and saw Frank's smiling face looking back at me. "Hi," I said opening the door.

"Hi," he replied. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," I responded, stepping back to allow him entry. "I'm just finishing up my packing. Where's Joe?"

"Down in the lobby," Frank answered. "He met another girl in the elevator and invited her for hot chocolate, even though we need to be on our way to the airport soon." He laughed and shook his head at his younger brother's antics.

"Wow," I giggled. "He recovered fast, huh?"

"Like I said, the Don Juan of Bayport," he said with a grin.

I returned Frank's smile with one of my own, until I noticed that he was holding something behind his back. "Whatcha got there, Hardy?" I teased.

Frank blushed slightly as he pulled a beautifully wrapped Christmas present from behind his back. "Just a little something. A souvenir, if you will."

"Oh, Frank," I sighed softly, as he handed me the bright red and gold package. "You shouldn't have."

"I know," he answered, "but I wanted to."

Delicately shaking the box like a child at Christmas, I grinned. "So, can I open it now? Or do I have to wait til Christmas?"

Frank laughed as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Go ahead," he motioned.

I carefully removed the beautiful gold ribbon and decorative paper. Setting the wrapping aside, I opened the plain square white box and gasped in delight as I pulled out a gorgeous snow globe. The heavy globe had a silver base, and in the middle of the heavy glass was a couple skating hand in hand at what was obviously Rockefeller Center. I shook the globe gently and watch the snowflakes fall around the skating couple. "It's beautiful," I whispered.

I was staring in awe at the thoughtful gift when I felt Frank's presence beside me. "It plays music, too," he instructed, lifting the snow globe out of my hands and turning the knob underneath the base.

A familiar melody that I finally recognized as "Baby, It's Cold Outside" began to play. As the lyrics rushed through my mind, I began to blush. 'I wish I knew how, to break this spell…I ought to say no, no, no, sir. At least I'm gonna say that I tried…"

I swallowed the lump in my throat as I tried to think of something witty to say. My gazed narrowed in on the globe in his hands and I stared at the falling snow for a few seconds before lifting my gaze to meet his. "Looks like they're fighting a loosing battle, too."

"Yeah," he answered in a soft voice. "That's exactly what I thought when I first saw it."

I slowly removed the thoughtful present from his hands and sat it gently on top of my clothes in the suitcase. "Thank you," I said sincerely. I reached up and wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

Frank held me close for a few moments and neither one of us spoke. When the music that was still playing on the snow globe came to a stop, I looked up into Frank's handsome face. He lovingly brushed a strand of hair off of my face and stared back down at me. He began closing the small distance between us and finally brushed his lips against mine in a soft and sweet, but all too fleeting kiss. "Merry Christmas, Nan," he said simply.

My eyes sparkled as my heart fluttered in my chest. "Merry Christmas, Frank," I replied.

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An hour later, Frank, Joe, Bess, and I were in the lobby of the hotel waiting for the cab to take us to the airport. Frank and I sat together on one of the couches discussing our case and Bess moped silently in a chair across from us. Joe had wandered off a few minutes before and when he reappeared he stood in front of Bess's chair.

"C'mon, Bess," he pleaded. "Cheer up."

Bess pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hmmph," she muttered.

Joe pulled something out of his pocket, which he dangled above Bess's head. "Look what I've got," he sing-songed.

Bess lifted her glance to Joe's hand and when she saw what he was holding, she burst out in laughter. "Joe Hardy! Where in the world did you find mistletoe?"

"Knew that would make you laugh," Joe grinned. He reached down and placed a quick kiss on Bess's cheek. "The gift shop," he replied simply.

Frank and I watched on in amusement, when Bess pulled Joe down closer and whispered something in his ear.

A decidedly evil look crossed Joe's face as he smiled wildly at whatever Bess was saying. He stood up and moved across the space towards me and Frank.

"Oh, no you don't, little brother," Frank laughed as Joe twirled the green leaf between his fingers.

I snickered at the brother's antics, but my laughter stopped when Joe held the mistletoe above me and Frank. I risked a quick look at Frank who was shaking his head at his brother.

"Uh-uh," Joe tsked. "It's tradition, you two."

"Yeah, you have to. It's tradition," Bess insisted with a smile from her seat across from us.

"Well, Nan?" Frank asked, a wry expression on his face. If only Joe and Bess knew that we had already shared a Christmas kiss of our own a little while ago.

I grinned back at Frank as I said through my laughter, "I ought to say no, no, no, sir."

"At least you can say that you tried," Frank continued on, as a confused Joe and Bess stared at the two of us who were laughing contagiously.

"Oh just kiss her already," Joe complained, wiggling the mistletoe insistently above our heads.

"Fine," Frank sighed dramatically, "If you insist." His brown eyes sparkled in amusement as he placed his hands on either side of my face. "Merry Christmas," he whispered once again, before he unexpectedly brought up his lips crashing down on mine in a searing kiss.

I faintly heard Bess and Joe gasp in unison as I returned Frank's heated kiss.

When we finally pulled apart, Joe was whistling and Bess was clapping her hands in approval. "Now that's what I call a kiss," Joe laughed in astonishment at what they had just witnessed.

'Me too, Joe,' I thought dizzily, still reeling from Frank's kiss. I blushed as I looked around the seating area at my friends. "Merry Christmas," I somehow managed to whisper back to Frank. I sighed both a contented and frustrated sigh, wondering for the millionth time just what was happening.

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"Passengers in rows fifteen through twenty, please have your boarding passes ready!" the gate agent's voice was heard, blaring out of the loudspeakers.

"Well that's us," I said. Turning to Joe I opened my arms for a hug goodbye.

"Bye, Nancy," he said with a smile, giving me a large bear hug. He then turned to Bess and did the same.

As Bess and Joe said their goodbyes, I looked up at Frank. What could I say? That it had been fun? That didn't really describe it. That I loved working with him? That sounded too official. That he made me feel so wonderful and confused that I couldn't think straight?

Deciding that there was no point in stating what he already knew, I tried to keep my emotions in check as I said, "Bye, Frank. Have a wonderful Christmas. I- I uh, hope we get a chance to do this again."

I could tell Frank read the double meaning into my words when he softly said,

"Me, too," while pulling me to him for one last embrace.

I willed myself to push away and with a small wave at the brothers I joined Bess at the entrance to the jetway.

Bess didn't say a word until the plane had taken off. After momentarily cryingabout Jean-Claude, and the fact that she'd probably never see him again, she began munching on a chocolate chip cookie she had pulled out of her carry-on bag, She turned to look sadly out the airplane window and said, "All I can say, Nancy, is you know how do it right. You never get involved."

I shook my head at how little my friend really knew. I wish I could say she had been right, but she wasn't. No matter how much I tried to deny it, I knew deep in my heart that it was too late. I was already involved.